The continued Senate presidency of Senator Vicente C. Sotto III from the current 17th Congess to the 18th Congress that begins July 22 is a done deal.
“I can say that with confidence,’’ Sen. Panfilo Lacson, a Sotto ally, replied to a query whether it is safe to say that Sotto’s presidency is assured in the 18th Congress unless 13 of the 24 members of the Senate will oust him.
This as Sotto sent invitations to the current senators and the reelectionists and senators-elect who won in the May 23 mid-term elections to attend a caucus this afternoon at the Forbes Partk residence of Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao.
On a query whether a refusal by some to attend the caucus indicate potential cracks in the Senate leadership issue, Lacson replied: “You can say that. Pero based sa pronouncements, openly or even among ourselves, medyo klaro ang support kay SP.’’
Senator Cynthia Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP) refused to sign the resolution of 13 senators affirming their support for Sotto. It was presented to her by Pacquaio in last Monday’s plenary session.
The resolution was spearheaded by Lacson and Pacquiao who acted as the election campaign manager of the pro-Duterte Partido Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP)-Laban party.
Villar, who topped the May 13 mid-term senatorial race, is reportedly being groomed for the Senate presidency. Senator-elect Imee Marcos is also an NP member. Both have not signed the resolution.
In yesterday’s public hearing by the national defense committee of the powerful Commission on Appointments, Lacson told Maj. Erickson Gloria, AFP deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, that the AFP should submit a clear synopsis on the role and responsibilties of the AFP so that civilian CA members could understand.
This kind of synopsis would be understood by Villar when she becomes the Commander-in-Chief of the nation, Lacson said in a joking manner.
The bid for the Senate presidency is reportedly being pushed by Senator-elect Francis Tolentino, a PDP-Laban member.
Lacson and out-going Senator Gregorio Honasan II are Philippine Military Academy (PMA) graduates.
Since Pacquiao (PDP-Laban) and reelectionist Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, president of the PDP-Laban party, have signed the resolution, the three other PDP-Laban members – Senators-elect Roland dela Rosa, Francis Tolentino and Christopher Lawrence ‘’Bong’’ Go – are expected to sign as they earlier signified their preference for a Sotto presidency during their recent with PDP-Laban senators, Lacson said.
In last Monday’s plenary sesseion, Pacquiao submitted to Sotto a resolution signed by 13 senators expressing their support for his presidency in the 18th Congress.
The 13 were led by Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri.
The others are Francis Escudero, Loren Legarda, Gregorio B. Honasan II, Juan Edgardo M. Angara, Lacson, Grace Poe, Sherwin T. Gatchalian, Pacquiao, Aquilino “Koko’’ Pimentel III, Nancy Binay, and Joel Villanueva. (Mario Casayuran)
